CASBO School Business Fall 2014 by Association Outsource Services, Inc.

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California Association of School Business Officials

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What’s hot, what’s not Host of topics compete for education leaders’ attention

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California School Business I Fall 2014

contents

Volume 79 I Number Three I Fall 2014

departments 9 13

Checking in Our new and improved vision for CASBO Molly McGee Hewitt

In focus CASBO member profile: Tina Douglas

In focus CASBO associate member profile: Michael Dodge

Book club The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined

Professional perspective Integrity – the professional value that will never fail you

Last words

Bottom line Integrity allows you to earn trust, extend trust Vincent Christakos

interview 25

David F. Welch Students Matter founder weighs in on why he founded the nonprofit, what changes he’d like to see in the state’s public school system Julie Phillips Randles

cover story 30

Communicating beyond the classroom Is your district savvy in promoting its brand? Linda A. Estep

features 18

What’s hot, what’s not Host of topics compete for education leaders’ attention Gail Marshall

Igniting understanding New CASBO platform seeks to spark interest in, aid understanding of, school financing Julie Phillips Randles

California School Business I casbo.org

ABOUT CASBO The California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional professionalism in all aspects of school business. Founded in 1928, CASBO serves more than 3,000 members by providing certifications and training,

publisher

promoting business best practices and creating

editor in chief

opportunities for professional collaboration.

features editor

CASBO members represent every facet of school

contributors

business management and operations. The association offers public school leaders an

Molly McGee Hewitt Tatia Davenport Julie Phillips Randles Linda A. Estep Gail Marshall

entire career’s worth of growth opportunities.

design/layout

Sharon Adlis

advertising art

Lori Mattas

CASBO MISSION

casbo officers

As the recognized authority in California school business, CASBO is a member-driven association

president

Vincent J. Christakos Hemet Unified School District

president-elect

Leeann Errotabere Clovis Unified School District

that promotes ethical values; develops exceptional leaders; advocates for, and supports the needs of members; and sets the standard for excellence through top-quality professional development

vice president

and mentorship, meaningful collaboration and communication and unparalleled innovation.

immediate past president

Rich Buse Pajaro Valley Unified School District

advertising sales manager

CiCi Trino Association Outsource Services, Inc. 115 Spring Water Way Folsom, CA 95630 916.990.9999

CASBO BY DESIGN For the past 15 years, CASBO has been dedicated to the organizational planning discipline as

Melissa Anderson San Bernardino County Supt. of Schools

a method for guiding the association into a successful future. In 2012, the association embarked on its fourth such plan, CASBO by Design. This living, breathing document will guide the association for the next five years. The process CASBO uses for long-term planning is grassroots in nature, invigorating in procedure and motivating in outcome. CASBO has long been committed to organizational planning because the approach has consistently helped the association envision its future and determine the clear steps to get there. The road map that strategic planning provides has allowed CASBO to remain focused on its unique mission,

www.casbo.org

goals and objectives, and to respond effectively to a continually changing environment. For more information on CASBO by Design, visit www.casbo.org, click on “About Us” and then select

California School Business (ISSN# 1935-0716) is published quarterly by the California Association of School Business Officials, 1001 K Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814. (916) 447-3783. Periodicals postage paid at Sacramento and at additional mailing office. Send address changes to the CASBO membership department at 1001 K Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814.

“CASBO by Design” from the drop-down menu.

Articles published in California School Business are edited for style, content and space prior to publication. Views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent CASBO policies or positions. Endorsement by CASBO of products and services advertised in California School Business is not implied or expressed. Copyright 2014 CASBO. All rights reserved. The contents of the publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher. Published September 2014

California School Business I Fall 2014

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California School Business I casbo.org

FINANCING CALIFORNIA’S FUTURE

tifel is the leading underwriter of California K-12 school district bonds.* We assist local districts in providing

financing for facility projects and cash flow borrowing, including new construction, modernization, renovation, and technology

Visit www.stifel.com/publicfinance or contact a member of our School Finance Group:

improvements. Our work with California school districts includes

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA | SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE

general obligation bonds, Mello-Roos bonds, certificates of

Bruce Kerns Managing Director (415) 364-6839 bkerns@stifel.com

Erica Gonzalez Director (415) 364-6841 egonzalez@stifel.com

Katherine Perkins Vice President (415) 364-5961 kperkins@stifel.com

Roberto J. Ruiz Assistant Vice President (415) 364-6856 rruiz@stifel.com

participation, leases, bridge financings, TRANs, and the refinancing or restructuring of previously issued bonds. Stifel’s presence in California and our services to school districts are represented by the staff of the former public finance firms Stone & Youngberg and De La Rosa & Co., which recently merged with Stifel. We give back to the communities we serve by providing college scholarships to graduating high school seniors through Stifel’s annual Fabric of Society essay competition and by supporting school-related foundations and functions through the Stifel Education Program (“StEP”).

* Source: Thomson Reuters, 2013

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California School Business I Fall 2014

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES OFFICE Dawn Vincent Managing Director (213) 443-5006 dvincent@stifel.com

John R. Baracy Managing Director (213) 443-5025 jbaracy@stifel.com

Robert Barna Managing Director (213) 443-5205 rbarna@stifel.com

Scott Henry Managing Director (213) 443-5206 shenry@stifel.com

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated Member SIPC & NYSE | www.stifel.com/publicfinance

8/20/14 11:08 AM

checking in

Our new and improved vision for casbo Recently, the CASBO by Design Strategic Planning Team created a new vision statement to accompany our long-term plan. Pure and simple, it states clearly and with no doubt what the vision of our association truly is. CASBO: the foremost authority on school business. Note the words “foremost” and “authority.” We don’t want to be one of many voices struggling to be recognized. We don’t want to be a good source of information. We are going to be the foremost authority on school business. Now that’s an aspirational and appropriate vision for a dynamic organization! This issue of California School Business continues to help us to create this vision. The features and articles have been carefully crafted to provide you with information that you need to know and can use immediately to enhance your district and your career. And we hope you will enjoy our new column, “Professional Perspective.” Crafting a vision is a daunting task. It requires working collaboratively with the team to develop a statement that encompasses all of the disciplines CASBO represents and that embodies who we are and what we stand for. While the creation is an intense process – the implementation and execution requires everyone from our officers, board of directors, committees, sections, professional councils and staff to embrace the vision and make it a reality. It requires the association to align its human and financial resources with its policies and procedures to accomplish the task. As I flew home from our Planning Team meeting, I spent some time reflecting on our vision and our CASBO by Design plan in its entirety. Can we do it? Is it possible? I came to a single-word answer during my pondering. Yes. We may not yet be the foremost authority in California on school business, but we are on our way. We have aligned our resources and, with the power of our members, their focus and their support, we can make what is now a vision a reality.

We are going to be the foremost authority on school business.

VIP leadership continues to be our theme this year. CASBO President Vince Christakos talks more about it in his column this issue. We have added a tag line to the theme. LEAD STRONG. How appropriate for CASBO. It’s exactly what our members have been doing for years! We are now just reminding ourselves of the value of this commitment. We LEAD STRONG because it promotes student achievement and success. We LEAD STRONG because it is in the best interest of a free and public school system. CASBO has made great progress in the last few years and I am increasingly proud of our members, their professionalism and their contributions. I am also proud of the professional staff at CASBO that plays a role in our continuing success. It will not be enough to be recognized as the foremost authority by ourselves. We will be introducing a new campaign called “Ignite,” along with many other initiatives, to support this effort. We will endeavor to LEAD STRONG with you and on your behalf. We invite you to embrace our vision and engage with us as we move forward.

Molly McGee Hewitt Executive Director

California School Business I casbo.org

Keeping It All Together

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California School Business I Fall 2014

bottom line

Integrity allows you to earn trust, extend trust The transition to implementing the Local Control Funding Formula (lcff) continues as we start the first year under our new Local Control Accountability Plans (lcap s). The cycle of planning,

implementing and evaluating our lcap s

is underway, and the reality of true local

control is finally being realized. My hope

is that districts across the state did a good job developing plans that focus on their

unique student population and academic achievement. We all know this year is

the test as many special interest groups are watching closely to see how districts

spend supplemental funding on their unduplicated count student population.

Stephen Covey’s book “The Speed of

Trust” provides great examples of how

trust saves time and money in nearly all

circumstances. Leaders who understand how to gain trust through strong personal integrity are also more likely to extend

trust to others. Covey refers to billionaire Warren Buffet as an example of a

successful leader who relies on integrity

and extends trust to save time and money

on multi-billion dollar acquisitions and

A leader’s integrity is the key ingredient to his or her success because it engenders trust.

You could say it’s a test of our integ-

mergers. Take Berkshire Hathaway’s

Soviet Union did not act with integrity

to the student population targeted by

Wal-Mart, for example. Buffet wrote in

If we all practice absolute integrity,

rity. Will school districts improve services supplemental funding? If we developed

an lcap that provides for increased and improved services, is the district now de-

livering on that promise? Will our words and actions match?

I introduced the concept of vip Lead-

acquisition of McLane Distribution from

and therefore trust could not be extended.

his 2004 annual report management

honesty and transparency in our daily

We knew everything would be exactly

complish so much more. Trusting one

letter that “We did no ‘due diligence.’

as Wal-Mart said it would be – and it was.” This saved millions of dollars and

work and personal lives, we could acanother means we don’t have to verify.

I challenge all casbo members to

months of time.

act with integrity at all times. Hone your

the “v” for “Vision.” This time I’ll focus

organizational integrity paired with high

petence and be transparent in all your

A leader’s integrity is the key in-

trust that allow organizations to move

ership in my last column and focused on on “i” for “Integrity.”

gredient to his or her success because it engenders trust. People only willingly follow a leader they trust. We’ve all wit-

nessed leaders who lack integrity. They

tell employees to do what they say, but don’t live by same standards. As leaders, we are always in the spotlight; everything

we do and say is watched and heard by

many people. If our words and actions don’t match, everyone notices.

The combination of personal and

levels of competence produces levels of quickly and efficiently. Former President

Ronald Reagan coined the phrase “trust

professional skills to increase your com-

dealings. Earn the trust of others and extend trust to those who also act with integrity. Then, we all win.

but verify” when dealing with the for-

mer Soviet Union. The topic at the time was the mutual disarmament of nuclear weapons that both countries built up

during the Cold War. Reagan knew he

couldn’t trust the Soviet Union to do

Vincent Christakos President

what it said without a comprehensive

and expensive inspection program. The

California School Business I casbo.org

California School Business I Fall 2014

in focus

Tina Douglas It takes a village to become a great leader and casbo is hers By Lisa Kopochinski

Photography by Hope Harris

ASK ANYONE WHO KNOWS TINA DOUGLAS and they’ll tell you her two favorite loves are children and shoes. And, in her position as assistant superintendent of business services for the Westminster School District in Orange County, she gets to combine the two. “I love my shoes,” she laughs. “My co-workers always come down the hall to check them out. I would have to say one of my hobbies is finding a great pair of shoes.” Douglas’ co-workers can also attest to the devotion she has toward the approximately 10,000 students in her district that comprises 17 schools. Communities served include Westminster, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Midway City.

“The most gratifying thing about my job is being able to make a difference in the lives of children,” she says. “Seeing the smiles on kids’ faces as they greet their bus driver and knowing we are there to welcome them. We are in the people business. If we take care of our business, the business will take care itself. I’m a firm believer in that.” With more than 25 years of experience in the K-12 education sector in numerous leadership and fiscal management roles for the San Diego County Office of Education, Vista Unified School District and the Ramona Unified School District, Douglas stepped into her new position in January. Some of her responsibilities include leading the operations and administration of finance, facilities, transportation, child nutrition, benefits, payroll, purchasing and warehouse services. She also supervises the department managers, prepares the district’s fiscal budget and administers a control system for the district’s annual budget.

Challenging? Definitely, she says. “The biggest challenge has been that three of the four administrators are all new. Helping the staff transition through the changes in leadership also helped me overcome this initial big challenge. As we worked together, things got easier.” Her involvement in CASBO for the past 15 years has also helped prepare her not just for this position, but throughout her career. When asked about the main benefit she derives from membership, she doesn’t hesitate. “What don’t I get from CASBO?” she asks. “The networking alone is priceless. Some say it takes a village to raise a child. I say, it takes a village to become a great leader in our profession and CASBO is my village. From that networking, you get professional development in the way of connecting with others that are in your shoes – no pun intended.”

California School Business I casbo.org

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California School Business I Fall 2014

in focus

Michael Dodge

This world traveler, long-time casbo member says membership a must for career advancement By Lisa Kopochinski

Photography by Hope Harris

A MASTER SCUBA DIVER, MICHAEL DODGE has dived in exotic locations around the globe that many of us just dream of visiting – Australia, Bahamas, Honduras, St. Thomas and Hawaii. “I also recently got back from Turks and Caicos after diving on a live-aboard dive boat for a week,” he says. “Diving is very relaxing for me with no phones, no talking, just nature and weightlessness.” At first thought it would seem that diving and his position as regional director for California Financial Services, a financial planning firm, would fall at opposite ends of the spectrum, but surprisingly this is not the case. “You have to plan and prepare for diving,” Dodge says. “There are many rules, just like the processes for school facilities planning. So these tasks and skills are much the same.” With CFS since early 2009, Dodge is responsible for the development of a range of school facility consulting services that include fiscal advisory; state funding and application; facility accounting and tracking; and master planning.

The firm – with offices in Sacramento, Mission Viejo, Santa Rosa and San Gabriel – provides districts with funding assistance to build schools, as well as navigate the complicated state application process. “We have specialized team members like bankers, former school board members, former OPSC audit staff, CDE staff, school auditors/ CPAs, school facility planners and former school CBOs,” he explains. “This depth gives us the strength to know how to help school districts build schools and manage the process.” Prior to joining CFS, Dodge served for nearly 24 years as the CBO for various rural and suburban school districts in California. He also pioneered the development of the lease/lease back delivery method for construction projects, including developing strategies for realizing cost savings, improving the performance of the value-engineering process and accelerating delivery of school construction projects.

Over the years, Dodge has volunteered in numerous capacities for CASBO including as the in-house tech expert at headquarters and at conference, and as a member of a host of committees including conference, membership, strategic planning and legislative. At present, he volunteers for the Associate Member Committee and Continuing Education and Certification Committee. Dodge has also been the Central Section’s treasurer, secretary and vice president. “The strength of CASBO is that members are your resources and having others to share in your triumphs and struggles is mentally and socially a great strength,” he says. In his limited spare time, you will find Dodge – also a licensed boat captain – on his boat in Monterey, often with CASBO friends and business associates.

A CASBO member since 1986, he credits the association for helping him advance in his career. His peers, in turn, awarded him the Honorary Life Recognition Award for his contributions to school business. California School Business I casbo.org

California School Business I Fall 2014

feature

WHAT’S HOT, WHAT’S NOT host of topics compete for education leaders’ attention By Gail Marshall

eady, set, go! It’s off to the races for school business officials as district leaders make a mad dash into the school year.

Some of the biggest changes in 40 years are taking place

thanks to 1,000-plus school districts implementing Common Core, the Local Control Funding Formula (lcff) and Local

Control Accountability Plans (lcap s ). But those are not the only issues competing for attention.

We checked in with some experts around the state and

got their advice on dealing with the hot topics this fall. Chris Steinhauser, superintendent of the Long Beach Unified School

District, suggests first that everyone keep an eye on the goal. He

believes this fresh cycle in education, with its promise of closing the achievement gap, could be the governor’s legacy.

“It’s an economic development issue,” he says. “It’s a secu-

rity issue for the state as well as the nation. Every kid that we

make sure is college and career ready is one less student who

has the potential of going to prison, going on welfare, becoming unemployed. That has huge ramifications for tax revenues.”

California School Business I casbo.org

WHAT’S HOT, WHAT’S NOT

wise implementation Topic A on most everyone’s mind is the wise implementation of these new programs.

John Gray, president of School Services of California, a

casbo Strategic Alliance Partner, describes last year as “a

whirlwind year in the areas of budget development/adoption and lcap development. Due to the many changes thrown at us during the year, we had what I would call an abbreviated lcap development and adoption calendar.

“The lcap is now the most important consideration in al-

locating school district resources. The lcap is the vehicle that

enables the local boards and superintendents to take charge

written all over because we are constantly looking at it. What do we need to do? Where do we need to go in the future? We are already thinking about how we will bring back our lcap com-

mittee four times next year to report on [issues like] ‘We said we were going to do X. If we didn’t do it, this is why we didn’t do

it.’ The data says where we need to go in the future and make those modifications throughout the school year. This is a very different budgeting and deployment process than I have seen in my 30 years in education. This is something I have been fighting for for years.”

Josh Schultz, deputy superintendent of the Napa County Of-

of the education process in their community. Even though the

fice of Education and a casbo member, suggests making a plan

ers continues as we take the time to refine and reflect on our

as possible in labor contracts.

2014-15 lcap is complete, our work as school business lead-

progress, our stakeholder engagement and to start setting new goals.

“Specifically, with the abbreviated timeline for the develop-

ment of the 2014-15 lcap, a robust needs assessment is essential

for financial flexibility – for example, keeping as much flexibility “Things may not work the way we think they will,” he

says. “When things don’t work, we are going to have to change. When we don’t get outcomes, we will change.”

as we begin to refine our plan for 2015-16. The life cycle of our

retirement expenses

growth. Waiting on the governor’s budget in January will be too

dramatically.

lcap s should be one of continuous reflection, adaptation and

Gray sends a warning to increase expenditure projections

late and ensure another hectic spring, which is not optimal for a

“The increase in the lcff base grant revenue is designed

well-executed plan as we move forward.”

to provide funding to maintain program levels and to maintain

or judgments about the new funding and accountability formu-

in base grant revenues are many. Annual pay raises, step and col-

Steinhauser insists on one thing: Before making any changes

las, give them time to play out. That means keeping detailed records of results.

“I am 100 percent in favor of the local control funding

issue,” he says. “You have 1,000-plus school districts going

through a pretty intensive process to align expenditures with their strategic plan using the data to address specific goals. And

before we make any changes on the state board level, the legislative level or with the governor, we need to give this a few years

purchasing power,” he says. “The demands against the increase umn increases, health and welfare benefit increases and now the increase in the employer rates for California Public Employees’

Retirement System (pers) and California State Teachers’ Retire-

ment System (strs) are major claimants. Increases in the cost of strs or pers do not result in increased or improved services to students and are therefore a charge to the base grant increase, not to targeted funding.

“Currently, the average school district spends just under 4

so we can see what is working well and what is not working well.

percent of its general fund budget on strs. Based on the rate

single most important factor to close the achievement gap, and

up to 19.01 percent, the average school district will spend

“I really do believe that, done correctly, this will be the

that is why I am pretty strident about this. We don’t need more

rules and regulations on us. We don’t need to make this one big

categorical program, because when we had those things, they

were a huge failure. They did not serve the students they were intended to serve.

“I think this whole process is very promising for boards

of education, communities and school districts if they keep it

a living plan,” he adds. “I have my lcap on my desk, and it’s

California School Business I Fall 2014

increases adopted by the state, from the current 8.25 percent more than 8.5 percent of its general fund budget on strs, up

from the current 4 percent. Based on the most recent Depart-

ment of Finance projections for lcff funding in future years, the increase for strs and the increases in the pers rates will

eat up about one-third of the new base grant funding. And, as always, include these increased cost factors in your multi-year projections.”

communications Fall is a time to have big-picture conversations with all your stakeholders.

Karen Stapf Walters, executive director of the state Board

of Education, works closely with the governor, and she advises districts to increase accountability and transparency.

“School districts and county offices of education have made

tremendous progress implementing significant policy changes in the last year,” she says. “Progress is evident. We’re remodeling

our education system and moving forward toward shared goals. We’ve learned a lot in the last several months, and we’re evaluat-

Before making any changes or judgments about the new funding and accountability formulas, give them time to play out. That means keeping detailed records of results.

ing the most effective ways the state can support local education agencies as we continue to move forward with the lcap process.

We’ve heard countless success stories about community engage-

ment, and we also recognize that more must be done to increase transparency and accountability.”

Steinhauser: Ensure that parents, boards and community

members all understand the plan.

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WHAT’S HOT, WHAT’S NOT

“We are actually doubling down on our communications

plans in the district. We are truly hitting folks we have never hit

before – not only our kids and the clients we serve on a regular basis. We will be reaching out electronically to tens of thousands

of people in our community who don’t have kids in our schools – senior citizens, people whose kids are grown and gone – so everyone has a clearer picture of what this whole process is about.”

Gray: “With a third of your base grant funds being eaten

up by rising pension costs, educating your stakeholders on the

impact to your district is essential. There are high expectations and many unmet needs in California school districts. These in-

creased pension costs will likely dampen your district’s ability to address many of your needs, so communicating and educating

Increases in the cost of STRS or PERS do not result in increased or improved services to students and are therefore a charge to the base grant increase, not to targeted funding.

your community is important.”

Samantha Dobbins Tran, senior director of education policy

for Children Now, suggests districts begin early to engage com-

munities in the annual updates. Make sure the communities feel

to implement Common Core standards.

goals to make sure they are where the district wants to go. En-

lum,” she says. “Time to collaborate with other teachers, updated

vested and the stakeholders want to engage. In fall, revisit your gage officials about the budget. Be transparent about resources.

proposition 30 : the end is near Tran and Gray both advise preparing for the expiration of

Proposition 30. Enacted in 2012, it combined a state sales tax and

“Teachers need planning time to prepare the new curricu-

materials and textbooks, model lesson plans and opportunities to observe and practice teaching the new standards. Done right, all students will benefit from the opportunities presented by our

school districts, county offices of education and charter schools.”

Schultz: “Stay competitive for talent,” he says. “We are

an income tax for high-income earners that raised $7 billion in

emerging from five to six years where everybody was laying

Tran suggests business leaders start planning ahead now for

ing pretty rapidly. With class size reduction, some districts are

funding for education.

alternate sources of funding when this temporary tax revenue stream dries up. Join with professional organizations and as-

sociations to participate in the current conversations ongoing regarding a possible campaign to extend it.

“Thank goodness for the passage of Proposition 30 in 2012,”

says Gray. “But the sales tax increase is set to expire in 2016, and

the personal income tax increase is set to expire in 2018. As dis-

tricts prepare their multiyear projections, school business leaders

people off. People were happy just to have a job. That is changstruggling to get enough bodies to cover their commitments.

There has been some talk about a teacher shortage. That may begin to materialize.

“To get outcomes, you need the best people, the right

people,” he said. “You are better off restructuring your compen-

sation to pay more to get the right people rather than just more people.”

need to educate their stakeholders on the revenue risks in the

forge partnerships

ration of Proposition 30 on their district’s general fund health.

partnership with higher ed, our Long Beach City College, as

projection years and specifically include the impact of the expi-

While there is hope about possibly extending the tax increases associated with Proposition 30, hope is not a plan.”

professional development Time, money and motivation to keep employees at the top of their game is always a wise strategy.

Walters suggests making a plan to support teachers learning

California School Business I Fall 2014

Steinhauser: “We are fortunate to have a very strong

well as our university. We are exploring some new initiatives

as part of our Long Beach college promise that will accelerate good things happening for our college bound students…

“For example, next year an Advanced Placement test will

cost only $5. We gave 9,000 tests last year, and increased that by 1,500 tests this year. Every kid will have access to free sat

testing, including preparation. We doubled down with a pilot program this summer for our high school kids who graduated. About 1,100 are going directly to Long Beach City, where they get a free semester. That semester is free to everyone – millionaires and those with free lunches.”

To prepare students for the free semester, Long Beach Uni-

fied set up a partnership to give a free orientation over the sum-

mer that included study skills courses, all geared to making sure they would be successful when they hit the ground running in August.

Tran encourages districts to not just think of higher educa-

tion, but also to look down – don’t forget the little ones.

“Invest in early learning. Preschool took a heavy hit during

the recession,” she says. “Invest in quality, access and in some partnerships.” z z z

Gail Marshall is a freelance writer and editor based in Fresno, California.

Weigh in on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ CASBO.ORG and share what topics you think will garner the attention of education leaders this school year.

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California School Business I Fall 2014

interview

David F. Welch

Students Matter founder weighs in on why he founded the nonprofit, what changes he’d like to see in the state’s public school system By Julie Phillips Randles

David F. Welch, Ph.D., is the founder of Students Matter, a

national nonprofit organization dedicated to sponsoring impact litigation to promote access to high quality public education. Prior to founding Students

Matter, Welch was best known as an entrepreneur and research scientist in the field of optical devices and optical transport systems for telecommunications networks.

He is the co-founder and president of Infinera Corporation, a manufac-

turer of high-capacity optical transmission equipment for the service provider market. Prior to his roles with Infinera, Welch was a research scientist and later chief technology officer and vice president with sdl, a San Jose-based tech firm.

Welch founded Students Matter in 2011 with the goal of creating positive

structural change in California’s k-12 public education system.

With assistance from Students Matter, nine California school children

filed the statewide lawsuit Vergara v. California in May 2012. In June 2014, the California Superior Court for the County of Los Angeles declared that five

provisions of the California Education Code that protected teacher seniority and tenure were unconstitutional. Gov. Jerry Brown has since filed an appeal of the judge’s decision in the case.

Since that ruling, Students Matter has announced it would support the

plaintiffs in a similar education lawsuit filed in New York state.

In addition to serving as board chair for Students Matter, Welch sits on the

national board of the Natural Resources Defense Council. He holds over 30 patents in optical transmission technologies and has authored more than 300 technical publications in the field. A fellow of the Optical Society of America and

the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Welch has been awarded the Adolph Lomb Medal, the Joseph Fraunhofer Award and the John Tyndall Award in recognition of his technical contributions to the optical industry.

California School Business I casbo.org

Students Matter founder weighs in on why he founded the nonprofit, what changes he’d like to see in the state’s public school system

Welch has a bachelor’s degree in

electrical engineering from the University

of Delaware and a doctoral degree in the same field from Cornell University.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? From whom? This is a tough question as, over my

life, I have received tremendous insight from so many. But I have to go back to the basic lessons that I was taught by

my parents. My parents have repeatedly impressed upon me the responsibility

and guidance to do what is right and to stick to those beliefs in the most difficult

and adapt.

What motivated you to found Students Matter, and what are your overarching goals for the organization? I was really fortunate to have a quality

public education, and that has been the foundation for the successful family life, business and career I have been able to

temic barriers standing in the way of the

student’s success. Of course, since I began

this journey over two years ago, my views on education have become more refined,

but the underlying foundation remains the same: When it comes to education, our

focus must be on the student and we must protect their rights above all else.

My goal for Students Matter is to

The court’s decision in Vergara v. California is clearly one of the leading national education stories of the year. Can you describe for us how the decision was made to pursue this lawsuit as the first major initiative of Students Matter?

on where it should have been all along:

were both conceived to create a systemic

build. So, when I realized that students

in California weren’t getting the same experience, I wanted to be a part of changing that.

of times. In this context, I believe that

shift the paradigm and refocus the system

Students Matter and the Vergara case

the affirmation that our public education

on students and making sure that their

impact on the student’s access to quality

ensuring an education to all children, and system is about the student’s success, is “what is right.”

What’s the best gift you have ever been given? I grew up in a large family and, being the youngest of seven children, the greatest

gift I have been given has been the gift of

best interests are at the center of every decision and policy made in education.

What role did your status as an entrepreneurial leader play in the development of your views regarding public education? Have those views evolved or changed over time?

love and family.

My views on education originate be-

What hidden talent do you possess?

own experience in public schools has

My talents? I’m a lover of diverse experiences but a master of very few. So I guess

my true talent is the ability to learn and understand new challenges and to listen

to the wisdom of others while adopting that information in a way that melds

with who I am. I hope that I can continue to learn from others and apply this to

my family, my role in society and to my

work. As to my favorite hobbies, I love to sail, ski, play basketball and improvise

on either the piano or the saxophone. The common thread in these sports is the

cause I care deeply about students. My reinforced my understanding of the long-term outcomes that result from

teaching is paramount to the success of the child. We know from a lot of research

that the most important in-school factor determining student success is the quality of the teacher standing in front

of students. We also know that, across the country, there are laws in place that

prevent administrators from making decisions in the best interests of students and inhibiting the best teachers from being in the classrooms.

After talking to many thought lead-

ers in education and doing an extensive

and that’s where my experience as an

two things became abundantly clear: Not

about students, however, isn’t a solution engineer and entrepreneur came into play. As an entrepreneur, I am driven

by how to systematically improve the outcome, which often means identifying design barriers and either overcoming

or going around them to find innovative solutions to problems.

So, when I first thought about the is-

sue of education, and California’s system

you to work within a basic structure, but

perspective of trying to identify the sys-

California School Business I Fall 2014

education. It is clear that access to quality

receiving a quality education. Just caring

great ability to improvise and adapt to a rapidly changing environment. It allows

encourages the freedom to improvise

in particular, I approached it from this

analysis of California’s education system, only was California’s education system far out of step with the rest of the nation when it came to access to quality teach-

ing, but traditional legislative channels were not working to change these oppres-

sive laws. The Legislature had become immovable when it came to reforming

anything from teacher evaluation to seniority-based layoffs. In fact, when we first filed the lawsuit back in 2012, the Legislature couldn’t even get a bill passed

to deal with the swift removal of teachers

that committed the most egregious acts of

the Vergara decision impacting the public debate on these issues?

misconduct, including sexual abuse. And

at the end of the day, kids were suffering

Vergara and the recent decision have

and lives were being destroyed.

given all stakeholders the opportunity to

the Vergara ruling “would make it harder to attract and retain quality teachers in our classrooms.” How do you respond to those comments?

step outside of the rhetoric and evaluate

this issue based on facts. In addition, it

Vergara has always been about the im-

has opened up a nationwide dialogue

portance of teachers and the teaching

profession. Students Matter firmly

It was clear, given the number of stu-

dents California educates, which is one

in eight u.s. children, and how bad Cali-

fornia’s laws regarding access to quality teaching are, that to make progress in

California required the courts to act to protect the rights of the children.

CASBO has been involved in legislative debates on teacher dismissal and evaluation issues for several years now, and the debates over each bill have been highly political and contentious. How do you see

that puts students’ rights at the forefront of education policy.

Statewide teacher organizations such as the California Teachers Association (CTA) and the California Federation of Teachers (CFT) have been highly critical of the Vergara decision and have questioned the motives of your organization. CTA has accused you of “undermining the teaching profession,” and stated that

believes that the system that is best for children inherently is best for the

teaching profession, and that we do not need to compromise the outcome of the students in the definition of the teaching profession.

I started Students Matter because I

experienced great teachers that I knew cared, and I want to make sure that every student has that same experience. The court’s decision does the exact opposite of

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Tel. (626) 857-7300 California School Business I casbo.org

Students Matter founder weighs in on why he founded the nonprofit, what changes he’d like to see in the state’s public school system

what critics claim – it puts a premium on

I strongly believe that the most significant

to work with teachers. When parents

in classrooms across California every day,

organization that deals with educating

be that in the context of evaluation or

the amazing jobs that so many teachers do

and makes sure that teachers are rewarded for the quality of their work with stu-

dents, rather than punished because they happen to have a lower seniority num-

ber than someone who may have given up on their kids long ago. Teachers and the access to quality teaching is the constitutionally defined responsibility of state.

California has consistently ranked at or near the bottom in per-pupil funding nationwide for years. Do you agree that the state’s public schools are inadquately funded, and if so, what role does that play in student progress and achievement?

our children is a shift in the mindset

that prevents us from focusing squarely on what is in the best interest of our

students. That’s what Vergara v. California

was designed to do – to ask how do the rules that govern our education system

advance the best interests of California’s children? The governing boards of our

education system now have a court mandate to follow through with these decisions that put the students’ interest first.

While there are a number of challenges

What part should parent satisfaction and student test results play in teacher evaluation?

school children – funding, poverty,

are involved in the process of education, anywhere else, it encourages teachers

and parents to work together to provide better outcomes for students. The state

has an inherent responsibility to ensure that the teacher that stands in front of the students is of high quality. This means

the educational system needs to define

an appropriate method of determining what a quality teacher is, and part of it

needs to be from student performance. What we need to stop doing is avoiding

the need to define quality teaching and embark on a continuous process to estab-

lish best teaching practices and measured outcomes for students.

facing our public schools and our public

While Students Matter doesn’t advocate

instability at home – what we focused

for any one system of evaluation, if we

Should teacher credentialing standards be changed? If so, how?

are really serious about ensuring that our students have access to a quality

Again, while we don’t advocate for

education, we need to transition from a

any specific policy with regard to credentialing, I believe that the best

on in Vergara is the access to the most critical in-school determinant of a quality education: effective teachers. Time and again, research has shown that teacher quality is the No. 1 in-school determinant

of educational effectiveness – not class

size, not per-pupil spending, not access to technology.

It’s true that schools need more re-

sources, but even the best curriculum and

quality-blind system to one that considers

teacher effectiveness. California already

has laws on the books – specifically

the Stull Act – that require student achievement to be included in teacher evaluations, but uniform implementation across the state needs to happen.

If we want to begin making im-

the most expensive books mean nothing

mediate changes to our education sys-

in the classroom. Because teachers are the

implement a multiple-measure evalu-

to students without an effective teacher

key determinant of education quality, our laws must make every student having an effective teacher in every classroom the

No. 1 priority. With an effective teacher,

every child can learn, regardless of his or her background.

If you could re-invent or change the role of school district governing boards, what would their role be? 28

change that needs to be made with any

California School Business I Fall 2014

tem in the spirit of Vergara, we need to ation system that adequately measures

professional practice, as well as student

outcomes. This is possible – we’ve seen it

happen in Colorado where you had both a bipartisan effort and one where unions and management came together.

In addition, parents and students

play a critical role in the education sys-

tem. When we talk to parents, they tell us

that their opinions matter and they want

system is one that evaluates professional practice in the context of student outcome

and ensures only the very best people are being placed in front of our students from

day one. Part of that process involves making sure our credentialing process is

rigorous enough to truly prepare teachers

for the challenges they will face in the classroom, and make sure those that can’t meet those challenges are not teaching

students. Based on the conversations I’ve

had and the research out there, we are failing to train our teachers for the critical job they play. z z z

Julie Phillips Randles is a freelance writer based in Roseville, California.

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California School Business I Fall 2014

cover story

Communicating beyond the classroom Is your district savvy in promoting its brand?

By Linda A. Estep

hink marketing your schools, establishing a “brand” and directing a flow of targeted messages to different audiences is the stuff of fluff, a luxury district budgets cannot oblige in tight times? Think again. A good marketing strat-

“Strategies and marketing theories

egy could mean money in the bank.

are certainly applicable now more than

munications experts offer their perspec-

nications officer of Clovis Unified School

Four highly successful school com-

tive on why schools need to ring the

bells of success regularly and break free of the obsolete mantra, “If we build it, they will come.”

In today’s educational environment,

school choice, spawned by the voucher

and charter school movements, has

forced the concept of the neighborhood school from center stage to backstage, with the spotlight shining brightly on

ever,” says Kelly Avants, chief commu-

District in Fresno County. “With school choice (charters), private schools and

home schooling, public schools must realize they are competing for students. There has been a natural shift in that

thinking in the last decade. We have to

get out of the mindset that if (students) live in the neighborhood, those kids are ours,” she adds.

newer options. When customers have

BUILDING A REPUTATION

message, at the right time, becomes criti-

for excellence over many years, sys-

choice, reaching them with the right

Clovis Unified has built a reputation

cal. After all, the goal is for customers to

tematically publicizing catchy slogans

understand the brand and choose your organization over others.

that match district values. The slogans

change and even sometimes ruffle

California School Business I casbo.org

Communicating beyond the classroom

feathers of neighboring districts, but they

been a welcome law, even though it can

Avants defends the slogan “A private

child would normally attend according

reflect a sensitivity to public expectations. school education for a public school

“We look for opportunities to (reach) parents when we know they are making decisions about their child’s education.” “Every single person is a marketing tool.”

price,” explaining that parents tell school administrators they expect the high standards associated with private institutions.

courtesy, Clovis Unified advised nearby

districts of that campaign before it was launched.

Early education is another area the

district directs awareness. Clovis leader-

and has served as head of that depart-

contributes articles to local parenting

ment for almost a decade. She has seen

the trend of declining enrollment in her

ship works with local preschools and publications.

The district uses movie theater

district, as in most others in California,

advertising for its programs and radio

ness messages directed at targeted audi-

of women ages 25-40.

and works aggressively on public awareences. For the past seven years, Clovis

advertising on stations with an audience The real estate market is fertile

has engaged in “intentional marketing,”

ground for delivering messages to po-

as specific audiences.

tively engages in real estate meetings and

a strategy that focuses on timing as much A past president of the California

School Public Relations Association

(Calspra) who also has served as the southwest regional president of the Na-

tion (nspra), Avants points out that chief

tential Clovis families. The district ac-

produces materials that include accurate boundaries for agents. “We used to have

issues with Realtors who were ill-advised about which schools served homes they were selling,” she explains.

“Our own employees are our voice

business officers are intimately aware of

in the community,” Avants says. “Time

the impact on budgets. She works with

influential person when talking about

declining enrollment in their districts and the Clovis business office to pinpoint

any decline and how it affects the district

as a whole, then develops a campaign to address it.

EYE FOR OPPORTUNITY

and time again I have said that the most

the district is not the superintendent or the district spokesperson. It could be the teacher or the bus driver – anyone

someone knows and trusts who works with students.”

Other communications experts share

“We look for opportunities to (reach)

that assessment, as well.

decisions about their child’s education,”

CONSULTANT INSIGHTS

campaign to remind district employees

ardent supporters of public schools

parents when we know they are making she says. One such strategy involves a

Tom DeLapp, one of California’s most

that their children are legally allowed

and a consultant to districts and county

to attend any school in the district of

their employment, no matter where the employee resides. For many, this has

California School Business I Fall 2014

to boundaries. According to Avants, as a

Avants has worked in the district

communications department for 15 years

tional School Public Relations Associa-

affect enrollment at the school where a

offices throughout the state, is president

of Communication Resources for Schools. Since forming that company in

1996, DeLapp has counseled hundreds

specifically, to get constituency specific,”

delivering strong, concise messages

For example, the message to under-

of districts about the importance of

he says.

about school identity.

served populations should be “Those

he explains. “Marketing has to be ev-

comfortable place here.”

“You start from the inside out,”

eryone’s job. Every single person is a

with learning difficulties will have a The business community is an

marketing tool.” He believes there must

important audience on several levels.

parents are just as important, if not more,

success in career areas is a good start.

be employee buy-in of the message, but in reinforcing the message.

DeLapp echoes the notion that pub-

lic schools are in a competitive market

now, not only for enrollment but for

recruitment of highly paid staff, includ-

ing teachers, and community support for

school bonds. “We need to target more

DeLapp believes marketing a district’s “Marketing is a profit center. The more

“Marketing is a profit center. The more awareness you build about success, the more it will attract businesses as partners.”

awareness you build about success, the

more it will attract businesses as partners.

Businesses want to know they have a

capable work force. It helps the tax base in town. The better the education, the

better for the community,” he adds. “It is

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California School Business I casbo.org

Communicating beyond the classroom

imperative that people understand what

maintains a listserv where members

Within a district, DeLapp suggests

response from other members within

the product is: high-powered learning.”

a three-way partnership of administra-

tors to develop and guide a marketing strategy: the superintendent, the chief

business officer and the chief commu-

nications officer. He believes districts should assume an attitude of “We have a success story waiting to be told.” He

minutes. Calspra also hosts meetings

where workshops, guest speakers and fellow members present topics pertinent to communications and marketing. It

is likely the most active and effective school networking system in California.

As for tools of the trade, DeLapp

outlines strategies in a presentation en-

notes that technology has changed the

Bottom Line.”

print and broadcast to online news ser-

titled “Marketing Public Schools to the DeLapp drives home his point with a

suggestion that districts issue a message

that essentially says, “We’d like to invite you to our business. Our product is as

good or better than other products on the market.”

Acknowledging that not all districts

have a communications or public infor-

communications picture from simple vices, blogs and social media that draw different audiences to each. Millennials,

born roughly between 1980 and 1995, receive their news via mobile and hand-

held devices. Savvy districts deliver their messages using the channels their target audiences use most.

In the Monterey County Office of

mation officer on staff, DeLapp says there

Education, Communications Officer

job openings for those positions that will

as well as training that encompasses mar-

is an increasing trend for districts to post

have direct access to the superintendent. He has long recommended districts hire

Marci McFadden handles media relations keting strategies.

At Camp casbo in June 2014, Mc-

communications personnel, even though

Fadden offered a comprehensive pre-

services.

Times: Winning Public Support.” She

his company offers similar contracted

He also notes that larger districts

with established public information offices are freeing up resources to establish a second tier of communications services,

recognizing the importance of the mar-

sentation on “Communicating in Good points out that districts have a duty to communicate, particularly now with the Local Control Accountability Plan (lcap) mandates.

McFadden is emphatic about keep-

keting component.

ing employees informed through various

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

delivered by email or Web pages that are

Even if a district does not employ a communication specialist, DeLapp urges membership in Calspra, which boasts more than 300 members (most of whom

are school communications officers), including some superintendents and

business officials. The organization

can post questions online and receive

California School Business I Fall 2014

“The better the education, the better for the community.”

channels, whether in short news blurbs kept current. Some schools are experi-

menting with social media. “It should be used as an extension of the website, but it is not the end all, be all,” she says. “Most

district parents are the ones on Facebook, people in their mid 30s, 40s and 50s.

Districts need to take a look at it. Some

“It is imperative that people understand what the product is: high-powered learning.”

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California School Business I casbo.org

Communicating beyond the classroom

are scared of it, but you can put good news on it.”

she explains.

She and Fenech take the lead in actu-

CULTIVATE GOOD MEDIA RELATIONS

ally teaching new reporters the protocol

Communication specialists know that

about programs and schools in Stanislaus

maintaining a good relationship with media could be critical in developing a

positive brand. Stonewalling reporters is a road filled with potholes. Quick, reliable responses that either provide or

promise accurate information in a timely manner will win respect and a greater willingness to consider the success stories districts want to publicize.

in getting information for news stories County. “We ask to meet them face to

face. We can save them some time, and

by providing timely information we are working with them,” Leitz explains. “We like to know what’s going on. If

something seems one-sided in a story, we talk to them about it. We also introduce reporters to key administrators.”

Her department is kept busy with

McFadden believes she has a good

responsibilities that include publishing

and shares these tips to ensure both sides

and social media, community outreach

working relationship with local media are satisfied:

* Be a reliable source. Return calls

promptly and be aware of deadlines.

* If you don’t know the answer, find someone who does.

Recommend additional materials

Know the appropriate time to

on the topic.

an annual report, special events, Web

and launching countywide campaigns such as Destination Graduation, now in its second year. Additionally, the scoe

has established ties with The Modesto Bee

editorial board, keeping it apprised of programs and developments affecting Stanislaus County. That has paid off with positive editorials.

A 12-year veteran in this field, Leitz

contact reporters (not just before a

has helped her department over the years

Take your time (give yourself a few

Gold Medallion Award of Excellence, the

Practice key messages and talking

deadline).

minutes to prepare for an answer).

points to include in the conversation. AWARD-WINNING STRATEGIES

Judy Leitz is a communications coordinator for the Stanislaus County Office of Education. She and parttime coordinator Cynthia Fenech are

responsible not only for media relations,

but also communications that help shape an image of success and reward within the county schools. “It’s very

important to let people know who you

are. First impressions last a long time,”

California School Business I Fall 2014

“Communication specialists know that maintaining a good relationsonship with media could be critical in developing a positive brand.”

consistently receive the coveted nspra only national award honoring compre-

hensive strategic school public relations programs.

Telling success stories is a first step,

and as Kelly Avants of Clovis Unified reminds us, “What do people know about

you? What do you want them to know

about you? You can’t establish a brand that doesn’t play out in the classroom.” z z z

Linda A. Estep is a freelance writer based in Fresno, California.

Tweet about your district’s best branding initiative at #CASBO.

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California School Business I casbo.org

California School Business I Fall 2014

California School Business I casbo.org

California School Business I Fall 2014

feature

Igniting

understanding New CASBO platform seeks to spark interest in, aid understanding of, school financing

By Julie Phillips Randles California’s school financing system is nothing if not complex. And while the Local Control Funding Formula (lcff)

may have simplified things, there’s no denying that, as a report from former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Committee

on Education Excellence once put it, the system is governed by

such a complex array of laws and formulas that only a few experts fully understand how it works.

Hoping to demystify and disentangle the process, casbo is

introducing Ignite, a practical platform to educate the public, edu-

cation stakeholders and even casbo members about California’s

system for funding schools. In the long run, the project’s goal will be to raise awareness of the need for increased education fund-

ing – and why increased funding is critical to improving student achievement and the lives of California students.

Backed by print materials, an online presence, and media and

advocacy training, Ignite will provide casbo members with easy-

to-consume information that will make it as simple as possible to initiate conversations with stakeholders at the state and local levels

about the realities facing districts and the obligations that impact their ability to serve students.

California School Business I casbo.org

Igniting understanding

The project is the brainchild of Jeff

mythology that has arisen around how

tor, governmental relations. Thanks to

“Think easily digestible factoids on

Vaca, casbo’s deputy executive direc-

an idea he had pondered in the past, Vaca became convinced it was time to

make school financing educational tools

a reality when the May budget revise in-

cluded a proposal to fund the California State Teachers Retirement System (strs)

through increased employer contribu-

things school leaders are obligated to do

by law that go beyond what most people understand regarding the educational

program and student services that

districts pay for, such as employees’ retirement,” Vaca explains.

The first tangible Ignite product will

tions. This particular proposal led to

be a packet of written materials explain-

ing how they would be able to manage

are – and, in some cases, what they aren’t.

dozens of calls from members wonderit, Vaca says.

While calls from members seeking

additional details are not uncommon, Vaca says it just felt different this time.

“My sense was they were really

worried about even making it work,”

he explains. “The overarching question from members was ‘how are we going

to improve how we serve students and

“Ignite is about advocacy and communication.”

“We sit on a gold mine of information that is untapped in a lot of respects.”

ing what the core school funding issues

knowledge needs to be tapped in a more

Initial topics may include:

and consistent messaging for member

• Proposition 98 • Proposition 30 • Proposition 39

• Funding from the state lottery • lcff goals

• Local Control Accountability Plans (lcap s )

• The impact of federal funding

• The economic value of healthy,

organized way. By creating a structure advocacy efforts, Vaca says the association

as a whole can have more influence, while working to achieve one of the fundamental

principles grounding its work at the state

capitol: ensuring that all students have the opportunity to be educated in safe and healthy environments, with appropriate resources.

“Ignite is about advocacy and com-

prosperous schools

munication. There’s a wide diversity

An online presence is also in the

fort level and ability to explain the school

works, either in the form of a new portal or a microsite, connected to casbo’s website.

Strand three of Ignite, and already

among members when it comes to comfunding process to laypeople. A big com-

ponent of the platform is making it easier for them to do that,” Vaca says.

“I think the education community

meet increased expectations under lcff

underway, is training for casbo officers

has underestimated who casbo is and

gling from cuts we were forced to make

media, editorial boards and communities

panding our influence and showing them

when so many of us will still be strug-

during the recession, and so much of any new funding will be needed to fund increased obligations for things like strs and pers contributions?’At this

point it was obvious we needed to give

members some tools because we can’t solve this problem in Sacramento with-

and leaders on how to reach out to the to “share nuggets of wisdom and attempt

to develop a groundswell of support, or at least recognition, of the need for increased funding for schools in California,” Vaca says.

EXPANDING CASBO’S INFLUENCE

out their help.”

A byproduct of Ignite, as Vaca sees it,

DIGESTIBLE INFORMATION

as the expert on all issues related to

Still under construction, Ignite will be comprised of tools to combat the

school funding works in California.

California School Business I Fall 2014

will be increased visibility for casbo school finance. He notes that while there

have been informal attempts, member

what we provide, so part of this is ex-

what we do,” adds Molly McGee Hewitt, executive director of casbo.

casbo President Vince Christakos

not only recognized the value in the Ig-

nite concept from the start, he backs the

idea of broadened member participation in advocacy efforts. After all, as he points

out, the biggest issue schools currently face is adequate funding.

“We sit on a gold mine of informa-

tion that is untapped in a lot of respects. We’re the ones with the knowledge

base on what is needed when it comes

tions] have done an outstanding job of

FUTURE FOCUSED

sistant superintendent of business for

the logical next step,” Hewitt says.

over the future of education funding,

to school funding,” says Christakos, asHemet Unified School District. A PROACTIVE APPROACH

Hewitt notes that Ignite is an example of the association taking a proactive

approach to a vexing education problem.

The initiative also aligns nicely with the association’s mission and vision, as well as the belief statements spelled out in

positioning casbo in that area. Ignite is

Ignite can also provide some control

Instead of simply providing com-

according to Christakos. In answering

ment or information when members,

stakeholders, elected officials or the

media request it, Ignite will provide a

permanent, expandable tool to broaden casbo’s reach to all potential partners in

the education community and the public, she describes.

“We want to involve school business

casbo by Design, the association’s long-

leaders in the legislative and advocacy

“Our goal is to be the pre-eminent

day knowledge, and we want to leverage

term planning document.

source of information about school busi-

ness, and Jeff and Sara [Bachez, casbo legislative advocate, governmental rela-

processes because they have the day-totheir expertise to educate others on how it really works in the trenches,” Hewitt

“Our goal is to be the preeminent source of information about school business.”

explains.

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California School Business I casbo.org

Igniting understanding

the question, “why now?” Christakos

funding. Ignite gives context and content

in the future. “If we don’t act on some

Davenport says Ignite products

says it’s all about where we want to be

of this now, who will? And do you

want someone else acting on it who doesn’t have the technical background in

could easily cross over into a public information campaign.

“The basic premise is the same. For

education finance?”

instance, the public sees tax proposals

in thoroughly understanding and then

how public education is funded. Ignite

He says getting members involved

conveying how education funding works

in California is the best hope for raising the state from its current low-ranking position on per-pupil spending.

“The way California funds education

is, in many ways, a travesty, and if we don’t do something about it, our state is going to decline,” Christakos says. GOING PUBLIC

but doesn’t have a full understanding of products could bridge that gap so voters can make more knowledgeable decisions around how to assess the issues and put the decisions they will make at the polls in context,” Davenport explains.

Or, when legislative proposals are

made, laypeople could access Ignite

tools to gather unbiased information on the topic.

Rock!’ version of California’s public

Ignite as part of casbo’s family of brands

says, “from school finance 101 to taking

– an expansion of the products and services casbo offers.

“It’s really like the ‘Schoolhouse Rock!’ version of California’s public school funding system.” “The advocacy piece is a high-value

service we offer, so we want to evolve that as a more specific, called-out value for

casbo. We talk a lot about professional learning and tactical skills, but there

have been a lot of assumptions about the

overall knowledge of public education

California School Business I Fall 2014

“Ignite will provide a permanent, expandable tool to broaden CASBO’s reach to all potential partners in the education community and the public.”

“It’s really like the ‘Schoolhouse

In the long run, casbo Deputy Executive

Director and coo Tatia Davenport sees

to our advocacy efforts.”

school funding system,” Davenport action.”

“Ignite is another way for casbo

to do what it does best,” Hewitt adds. “Provide the facts, figures, information

and data on how legislation and school

funding impacts students and schools in California.” z z z

Julie Phillips Randles is a freelance writer based in Roseville, California.

CASBO POLL: What topics would you like covered by Ignite collateral? Proposition 39? Special education funding? General obligation bonds? Proposition 30? To vote, go to www.casbo.org/poll

The California School Boards Association, in association with Piper Jaffray & Co., has partnered with the California Association of School Business Officials, and enhanced the Certificates of Participation program.

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California School Business I casbo.org

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California School Business I Fall 2014

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CASBO book club

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Khan presents his vision for education’s future CASBO members may be well aware of Khan Academy – a nonprofit with the vision of providing free, high-quality education for anyone, anywhere in the world – but fully understanding Sal Khan’s vision may require a read of his book, “The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined.” In it, Khan presents what Amazon calls “his radical vision for the future of education,” and calls for free, universal, global education for all students. In the book’s pages, Khan presents his thinking on how students and teachers are stifled by a top-down model invented two centuries ago; why technology will make classrooms more human and teachers more important; why and how we should pay educators as we do other professionals; how to bring creativity back to learning; and why there’s reason to be optimistic about the future of learning. He also calls for a return to “mastery learning,” an approach he says is seeing a revival thanks to tools like Khan Academy. Join your CASBO colleagues in reading this popular book which some educators say they end up purchasing for their school boards and their colleagues in education.

California School Business I Fall 2014

professional perspective

Integrity – the professional value that will never fail you By Molly McGee Hewitt Executive Director

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED in ethics,

It is about keeping your word, choosing

blue-collar home with parents who were

the words that you have spoken. It’s

values and character. I grew up in a ethical to the core, and who expected the same from their children. Gray was a

color to them – not an option that could be selected when making decisions. As

I get older, I see more gray and shaded

your words carefully and standing by about doing what you said you would do and delivering on your promises. It’s

about being an honest voice in a sea of dishonesty.

Some of our values, and our profes-

areas. School business, like life, is not

sional character, are developed by posi-

dried, Option A or Option B. No, the

bad examples, some from our spiritual

always about black and white, cut and decisions are far more complicated.

Careers in education are always an

interesting study. Most school business

officials didn’t start out wanting to be in this profession. Most people, as they be-

gin their careers, have no clue that there are such positions since most of what oc-

curs in our industry is behind the scenes.

tive role models, some from witnessing

or religious roots and others from the culture of the organizations we serve.

High performing organizations are char-

acterized by their integrity. They become more valued because they are trusted. If I were to create a formula for it, it would

be Trust+Trust=More Trust. It gains mo-

“ Regardless of the

career path that brought you to school business, there’s one professional value that will never fail you. Integrity. It’s the one quality that transcends titles, positions, authority and organizations.” casbo members teach me daily

mentum as it grows.

about the value of integrity. I see it in ac-

bus drivers and food service workers, but

moments when we have choices to make.

their commitments and sacrifice time and

manage the budget and make direct stu-

and go along to get along. Sometimes

We see teachers and principals, we see we rarely see the people who create and dent services possible. Almost all of us in school business started somewhere else.

Regardless of the career path that

brought you to school business, there’s

one professional value that will never

fail you. Integrity. It’s the one quality that

transcends titles, positions, authority and organizations. It is a core value that you live on a 24/7, 365-day basis. It speaks volumes about you in ways that you cannot even imagine.

Integrity is about your words, your

actions, your attitude and your character. It’s about doing the right thing simply

because it is the right thing. It’s about al-

ways being honest and straight-forward.

In every professional career, there are

Sometimes it is easier to take an easy road

the choice requires us to be courageous and to do the right thing. Several times

tion. I see it in the volunteers who keep resources for the profession. I see it in the

decisions they make that may be unpopular, but serve student needs.

What is your professional perspec-

in my professional life, I have had to

tive on integrity? Is it a capital “I” in your

action because it violated my core value

you will make it a priority in your career

refuse to do something or fail to take an of integrity. Each of those decisions came with a price tag and did not always im-

vip Leadership? It is for me. I hope that and encourage it your organization.

mediately enhance my position. They did, however, help me to create a reputa-

tion and to maintain my integrity. These

decisions served me well in the long run. They also allowed me to grow and flex

my integrity muscles. It’s easy to have

integrity in theory or in the abstract, but when you’re called to put it into practice, you learn what it really means.

California School Business I casbo.org

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Healthcare Services/Insurance California’s Valued Trust (559) 252-2500 www.cvtrust.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Southern California Schools Joint Powers Association (909) 763-4900 www.scsjpa.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

advertiser index

Insurance Benefits/Services American Fidelity Assurance Company (800) 365-9180 www.afadvantage.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 ASCIP (562) 677-2012 www.ascip.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Horace Mann Companies (402) 290-3116 www.horacemann.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

On Demand Operations Management Software School Innovations & Achievement (877) 954-4357 www.sia-us.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Valued Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Mandate Reimbursement School Innovations & Achievement (877) 954-4357 www.sia-us.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Modular Buildings, Relocatable Classrooms Mobile Modular Management Corporation (800) 944-3442 www.mobilemodularrents.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Network Solutions, Servers & PC Solutions Sehi Computer Products, Inc. (800) 233-7344 www.sehi.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Creative Bus Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 DecisionInsite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Retirement Benefits

Risk Management Services

Stutz Artiano Shinoff & Holtz (800) 399-3122 www.stutzartiano.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company (415) 364-6839 www.stifel.com/publicfinance Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Schools Excess Liability Fund (SELF) (866) 453-5300 www.selfjpa.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo (562) 653-3428 www.aalrr.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

ASCIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

California Financial Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Public Agency Retirement Service (800) 540-6369 #127 www.pars.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Legal Services

American Fidelity Assurance Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Public Finance

Keenan & Associates (310) 212-0363 www.keenan.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Self Insured Schools of CA (SISC) (800) 972-1727 www.sisc.kern.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

AD INDEX

Schools Excess Liability Fund (SELF) (866) 453-5300 www.selfjpa.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Southern California Schools Joint Powers Association (909) 763-4900 www.scsjpa.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

School & Office Supplies Office DEPOT (888) 263-3423 www.business.officedepot.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Eagle Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Horace Mann Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Infinite Campus, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Keenan & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Mobile Modular Management Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Office DEPOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Piper & Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Public Agency Retirement Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Schneider Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 School Innovations & Achievement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 School Services of California, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Schools Excess Liability Fund (SELF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Security Benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

School Bond Underwriters

Sehi Computer Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company (415) 364-6839 www.stifel.com/publicfinance Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Self Insured Schools of CA (SISC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Smartetools, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Southern California Schools Joint Powers Association . . . . . . 11

School Bus Sales Service & Parts Creative Bus Sales (909) 465-5528 www.creativebussales.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Stutz Artiano Shinoff & Holtz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 TerraVerde Renewable Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Student Information Systems and Services

The Cooperative Purchasing Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Eagle Software (888) 487-7555 www.aeries.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Vicenti, Lloyd & Stutzman LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Virco, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover

Infinite Campus, Inc. (651) 631-0000 www.infinitecampus.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

California School Business I casbo.org

last words

”

You’ve got three choices when bad things happen to you: You can let it destroy you, define you or develop you. — Rick Warren

68% Sixty-eight percent of voters agree that California should do away with “Last in, First Out,” a policy that requires the newest K-12 teachers be laid off first, regardless of merit. Just 17 percent said California should continue to conduct teacher layoffs in order of seniority.

10%

At least 35 states provided less funding per student for the 2013-14 school year than they did before the recession hit. Fourteen of these states have cut per-student funding by more than 10 percent. Source: Center on Budget Policy and Priorities

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The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy. — Ndukwe Kalu

Source: PACE/USC Rossier Poll

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If you wait until there is another case study in your industry, you will be too late. — Seth Godin

California School Business I Fall 2014

A student assigned to a grossly ineffective teacher loses $50,000 in potential lifetime earnings compared to a student assigned to a teacher of average effectiveness. A classroom of 28 children loses $1.4 million in lifetime earnings.

$ $ $

Source: Dr. Raj Chetty

Do you have an inspirational quote or interesting statistic to share with your colleagues? Send your favorites to tdavenport @casbo.org.

Get all your back to school items through TCPN Overseeing district purchasing requires a lot of effort and planning. The Cooperative Purchasing Network (TCPN) helps simplify your steps and reduce your costs. TCPN’s contracts leverage the purchasing power of over 37,000 actively engaged government entities. All contracts are competitively bid and awarded by a single governmental entity – Region 4 Education Service Center. TCPN monitors contracts through third-party compliance reviews to ensure vendor accountability. You can rely on TCPN’s lead agency’s ISO certified processes, 100+ combined years of government purchasing experience and 50+ combined years of auditing experience – we know what it takes to keep schools running. Keep your school purchasing on time and on budget. Go to www.tcpn.org and sign up today.

TCPN-0445, Fall Ad Resize-CA ASBO.indd 1

California School Business I casbo.org 55 8/5/14 3:10 PM

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California School Business I Fall 2014